On The Ground
by youkillmypatience
Summary: Co-written by Charlie  EvilTheTwins. Chapter three coming soon.
1. Chapter 1

_So Charlie (EvilTheTwins here on __ff.net__ and __ithinkitsfate.tumblr.com__) had this BRILLIANT idea to co-write a fic together. I started with the first couple of paragraphs, then Charlie continued with the next few, then so on. You can probably see who did what, seeing as we have slightly different writing styles. We tried to come up with a combination of the two, and … here you go!_

_Disclaimer: Neither of us owns Castle, we left t job up to the wonderful Mr. Andrew Marlowe._

_Read on!_

Chapter One

Castle, what are you doing?" asked Beckett, tilting her head to the side, for Castle had been taking pictures of the dead body. "I thought I told you, no pictures at my crime scene! Put your phone away. Now."

"It's just research for Nikki! Don't be a spoilsport!" he pouted, holding the phone out of her reach.

"I don't care, now give me!" Beckett held her hand out in front of Castle. After some grumbling and whining, Castle placed the phone in her hand.

"If you're good, you can have it back when we're back at the precinct." Beckett walked off towards Lanie, hoping that she would be of more use than the writer had been.

"Beckett, you better tell me why Castle's making lovey-dovey eyes at you." Lanie demanded, looking over her best friend's shoulder at a certain man standing a short distance away.

"Lanie!" hissed Beckett. "Stop looking at him like that!"

"What? It's not me who's looking at you like I want to drag you into my bed" Lanie responded and turned back around to face the body. Beckett glanced behind her shoulder at Castle before turning back to Lanie.

"Alright then, cause of death?" Beckett wasn't going to let Lanie mess with her head, not that much.

"You're not getting off that easy, we're continuing this conversation later." the ME ordered before continuing. "Cause of death is strangulation. She was strangled with a rope or cord of some sort. The way her finger was broken indicates that she tried to fight back."

"Okay, I'll have Esposito and Ryan look for a rope or cord in the area." Beckett said, giving Lanie 'look' before turning around - and walking smack into Castle.

A flustered Beckett looked up, only to see Castle smirking.

"Trying to knock me to the ground detective? Because you've already done that today." Beckett just shook her head and walked towards her Crown Vic. When she reached the car and pulled open her door, Castle was still standing in the same place as before, staring at her.

"Coming? You've got about ten seconds to get in the car; otherwise you're catching a ride with Lanie, and her new friend."

Castle blinked, then uprooted himself from the pavement and hurried to her side.

"You okay today?" she asked when the were inside the car, heading back to the precinct.

"Yeah, I was just, thinking."

Castle's words were slow, slower than his usually 9 year-old self, and Beckett guessed he actually _had_ been thinking. There were only two things Castle thought about.

"Is it your mother? Or Alexis?" Beckett questioned.

Castle took a deep breath, and faced her.

"Alexis, she's growing up so fast, I'm just thinking about what I'll do when she moves off to college next year."

"I wouldn't worry if I were you, Castle. She'll always be your little girl, you know that." Beckett said gently.

"But she'll be so far away!" he sighed, and looked out the window at the city rolling by.

"Castle, this is _Alexis_ we're talking about. You know she'll text you, email you and call you every day." Beckett tried to reason with him. "It may not be the same, but things change. Nothing can stay the same forever. You know she'll make an effort."

Castle looked over at Beckett and shrugged. Hey eyes - so green, so deep - were full of concern and knowledge. Beckett cared way more than she let on, Castle could tell with just one look in her eyes. That's why he loved her eyes so much. They revealed her thoughts, her concerns. They showed the inner Beckett.

The car ride back to the precinct was all too short for both Castle and Beckett, although neither would admit it. Castle noticed Beckett was stiffer than before they'd gotten in the car, he knew she didn't open up often, and when she did open up, Beckett closed up straight after.

They were silent until they reached the precinct.

"Want a coffee, Beckett?" Castle asked hopefully.

The truth was that he just wanted to be alone for a bit.

Beckett, who could see that he was desperate for alone time to pull himself together said "Sure." and sat down

Beckett knew he was worried about Alexis, but he still had a year with her before she went away, and he was never usually this somber. Beckett figured there was something else on his mind, and didn't want to pry. He'd tell her when he was ready.

When Castle reached the break room, he sat down in one of the chairs and sighed. He watched Beckett through the window for a minute before getting up to make the coffee. There was something soothing about watching Beckett do paperwork. It made Castle relax, and feel calm. He took a deep breath and felt instantly better.

Castle was suddenly pulled out of his reverie by hot coffee overflowing out of his mug and onto his hand.

"Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot" Castle jumped around the break room.

This got Beckett's attention, and she rushed over to help him. As Beckett directed Castle's hand under the cold tap, Lanie walked past. She looked Beckett in the eyes and said; "you, me, an hour, the coffee shop on 4th and 2nd."


	2. Chapter 2

_Charlie did some research, this cafe called Atlas Cafe really does exist, and it's on the corner of 4th and 2nd. Neither of us have been there, though, so don't get mad if we get something about it wrong ;) _

_We still don't own Castle._

Chapter Two

Beckett pushed open the door of the familiar coffee shop, and entered it, her eyes scanning around for Lanie. She spotted the ME sitting in the corner, eating a croissant. Beckett made her way to the table.

"It's about time, girl. I was almost ready to call the search and rescue team!" Lanie said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Lanie, I'm five minutes late." Beckett rolled her eyes.

"I'll forgive you if you tell me that those five minutes you were late were spent with Castle, in a closet." Lanie wiggled her eyebrows, and Beckett just shook her head.

"Lanie, you're impossible, just impossible. Was this the emergency you dragged me away from my case for?"

"Girl, don't play dumb with me. Why was Castle eyeballing you like that? Is there anything you haven't told me?" ordered Lanie.

"Lanie, he's having a hard time coping with the fact that Alexis is no longer a little girl, and that's she's going to be venturing out into the world." Beckett explained patiently.

"And you were ... 'helping' him feel better?" smirked Lanie.

"Oh, don't say it like that, I just told him that she'll always be his little girl, and will call and e-mail while she's gone."

"You know I'm not giving up that easily Kate, there's a –" Lanie was cut off by Beckett's cell.

Beckett glanced at the caller ID, and suddenly an expression of shock crossed her face.

"What's wrong?" Lanie asked, concerned.

"Um..." Beckett mumbled, showing Lanie her phone.

"Demming? Why's he calling you?" Lanie asked incredulously. "If he wants to get back together with her, so help me, I'll wring his skinny neck." she muttered to herself as an after-thought.

Beckett was still staring at the phone in shock, and barely heard Lanie. It wasn't until Lanie asked her if she was going to answer that Beckett looked up. As she answered the phone, she could hear her voice shaking, and hoped Demming couldn't.

"Kate, oh god, it feels so good to hear your voice again." Demming's voice was slightly distorted from the phone.

Beckett just shook her head, she had gotten broken up with Demming almost a year ago, why was he calling her now?

"Kate? Are you there?" the voice on the other side of the line asked.

"Oh, sorry, Tom. I'm here." Beckett blinked. "What's up?"

"What do you mean? Can't I call you for no reason?" he said with an air of over-casualness.

Beckett suddenly felt a surge of anger and was about to reply when her phone was snatched out of her hand.

"No, you can't just call her up out of the blue, and if I catch you calling her again, you'll be sorry" Lanie ended the call and when Beckett looked at her, she could see Lanie's face displaying a sense of accomplishment.

"Um...thanks?" Beckett stifled a smile, her sudded flash of anger gone.

"The nerve of that man. Why does he think he can just call you up out of nowhere and pretend to be all buddy-buddy with you? I mean, come on. It's a good thing he's cute." Lanie ranted.

"Lanie, I have to get back to work." grinned Beckett.

"I'm not done!" complained the ME.

"Well tough, I've got a murder to solve, and you have an autopsy to do."

Lanie just sighed as she watched her best friend grab her coat and yank the door open. That girl had some serious issues, and Lanie was determined to get to the bottom of them, but that was for another day, as she realized Kate was right, she had an autopsy to do.


End file.
